


"So we're telling each other everything now are we?"

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Marauders' Era, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-26
Updated: 2008-02-26
Packaged: 2019-01-19 12:14:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12410127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: ONESHOT - James is stook behind a bush. Yes a bush. But he's not stalking! No, he doesn't do creepy stuff like that, right? Throw in a red head and a...well Snape, and you get...this fic (?)





	"So we're telling each other everything now are we?"

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

James wondered if he should make is presence know or if he should sit and wait it out. How long can someone sit beneath a tree and read anyway? For a second he was going to stand, mentally preparing himself, making sure his voice didn’t do that stupid squeaky thing it sometimes did when she was around. He would have gotten up, he would have. But then she let out a long contented sigh and flicked her long auburn hair in such a pleasant way, revealing her pale neck that James found himself rooted to the spot, his hands sweating slightly and his cheeks warming thoroughly.

He’d only rolled under the bush because he saw her coming. Really he’d just been sitting a while under the tree so he wouldn’t have to listen to Sirius harp on about how far he got with his girlfriend the night previous. He thought she’d walk past but hadn’t banked on her stopping. 

He resolved that it wasn’t stalking if he quietly sat where he was and watched her…it was curiosity. She’d never stand for him to do this if she knew he were there. 

So intent on watching was James that he didn’t see another, slightly hunched, figure approach until the person very forcefully plonked down next to the reading girl.

“You’re late.” she muttered, though not accusingly, just as if she was pointing it out.

James almost groaned out loud when he saw who it was and inadvertently tightened his grip around his wand.

“Sorry.” came the curt, slightly cold reply from Severus Snape. 

She simply nodded her head in recognition of the apology (which hadn’t sounded very enthusiastic, James thought). She spent another few minutes reading and then marked her place with her wand and set the book down next to her on the grass. “If I’d have known I wouldn’t have been so early.”

Snape sighed and rubbed the palm of his hand against his trouser leg. “Got here as soon as I could.” he murmured, his face stony and his gaze to the floor.

“Right…” said Lily taking a good hard look at him. James wondered how anybody could look at Snape for so long without grimacing; that was the usual reaction. “No other explanation?”

When Snape raised his eyes they were very cold. “Oh so we’re telling each other everything now are we?” his voice was accusing and harsh.

Her reaction was controlled, as if she had been waiting for this. She rolled her eyes and raised a hand into the air. “Oh for Merlin’s sake Sev, I thought we’d been through this? Gordon asked me out, I said yes, we went on a date, it didn’t work out. End of. I didn’t think you liked me going on about girl stuff such as that?! I thought you said you were glad I have female friends for that sort of thing?!”

Snape's gaze was on his very old looking trainers and he seemed a bit ashamed. There was a colour in his cheeks that James had never seen before. “I just…I’d liked to have known, that’s all.” he mumbled.

“So what? You want me to come find you every time a guy asks me out? Is that it?” she asked rather pointedly.

“No…” but then his eyes shot up to her face. “You get asked out often?”

She waved her hand around and averted her gaze. “I didn’t say that Sev…”

“But you implied it!” James could see Snape was getting very agitated. “Who else, apart from ‘king prat’ Gordon Wells, has asked you out?”

“No one Sev, alright so just drop this ok?” she looked very uncomfortable and she was keeping her eyes anywhere but near him.

“We’re _best_ friends Lily.” said Snape forcefully. “I know when you’re lying.” 

Lily seemed to lose her composure for a second and snapped her head back to him. “Potter asked me out the other day, ok?!” her eyes seemed to be blazing. “Alright? I told you, so just drop it.” She folded her arms forcefully as if to make it be known she meant business. 

Snape sat open mouthed, gaping at her, all the colour from his cheeks gone. “He…he…Potter?!” his voice was full of contempt. “You didn’t…I mean…you said…you didn’t say yes, did you?”

“Oh of course I didn’t say yes! What do you take me for?” she snapped.

Snape seemed to physically un-tense and let out a short sharp sigh of – was it relief? 

In the silence that followed James thought back to his failed attempt at asking Lily out and cringed. He’d felt so sure she’d say yes and had just stared at her when she told him no. 

Then, to add to the humiliation, he’d gone and asked her why. When she’d told him it was because they were too different he couldn’t help but insult her – it just slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it. “No that’s right, you fall over yourself to get extra credit assignments like the swot you are and I’m content with moaning about the usual homework we get, with all the ‘normal’ people”

She’d scowled, blushed crimson and spat out “Well you couldn’t have wanted a date that bad, could you?” then stormed off.

James smacked himself in the forehead for the millionth time since that encounter. He hated his traitorous mouth, really he did.

His head shot up when he heard Lily speak again after a long while. “Look Sev, if you’re not going to speak to me then I’m going to the library to study. I don’t know what’s gotten into you but exams are next week so…see you Sev.” She got up, picked up her book and meandered away from the tree with her head down to the breeze.

Snape hadn’t said a word and just watched her leave with an unreadable expression on his face. “Shit.” he grumbled before whipping out his wand and pointing it at an ant crawling across a patch of mud. “ _Engorgio_.” 

James rolled his eyes and sneered. Trust him to be left stuck behind a bush watching Severus bloody Snape poke an enlarged ant with his wand like a sick seven year old with a magnifying glass. He really didn’t like Severus Snape.

 *

 

** This is just another thing I found in one of my old scrapbooks...written before DH. I've the feeling James got himself into silly situations like this, just like Harry. **

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** I'd love it if you could ake a few minutes and review. Thanks x **


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